Cabinet for vehicles.



E. McBURNEY. CABINET FOR VEHICLES.

v I APPLICATION FILED DEC- 16- 1916- .1 7 it. I

Patented Sept. 4, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

5 v a I if 20 22 /4 Z2 .20 1 l I ATTORNEY V ELMER MCBURNEY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

CABINET FOR VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. a, role.

Application filed December 16, 1916. Serial No. 137,393.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER MOBURNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cabinets for Vehicles, of which the following is a speclfication.

This invention relates to attachments for motor vehicles, and aims primarily to provide means whereby the carrying and storage capacity of the vehicle may be greatly increased without inconvenience to the occupants of the vehicle, and without detracting from the appearance of the latter.

A further object of the invention is to providea combined commissary and table,

which is capable of being readily attached to and detached from the running board of the vehicle, which affords ample space for the accommodation ofcooking and serving utensils and food, and which when converted into a table, affords an eflicient buifet.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which shall be of light weight and of maximum storage capacity,

and yet which is compact and may be easily carried.

With these objects in view, together with others which will appearas the descrlption proceeds, the invention resides in the novel formation, combination and arrangement of parts, allas will be described more fully hereinafter, illustrated in. the drawings, and particularlypointed outin the claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 isa fragmentary side elevation of a conventional form of motor vehicle, illustrating the application of an attachment constructed in accordance with the inthrough the cabinet when the latter is folded or closed.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 6 represents generally the vehicle,

and"? the running board or step therefor.

partition or floor 10, a compartment 11 being formed between the said floor and the bottom of the cabinet. The outer edge of the partition terminates inwardly from the open end of the boX, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 5. The cabinet may, if desired, be equipped with vertical partitions indicated at 12, to divide said cabinet into separate and distinct storage compartments.

Hinged to the open end of the cabinet is a door or closure 13. This door is hinged in the same horizontal plane as the floor or partition 10, so that when the door is swung to horizontal or open position, the said door will form a substantial continuation of the floor 10. The door is of a size to snugly fit the open end of the cabinet so as to tightly close the same, and may be locked in closed position by application of a lock to the loop 14 which engages through the hasp 15 hingedly connected to the cabinet. To the upper or free edge of the door 13 is hingedly secured a leaf 16, the latter being of equal length and width with the door, and to the free or outer edge of the leaf 16 is hingedly secured a second leaf 17. The leaf 17 is in a like manner hingedly connected with a leaf 1S, and the latter is also hinged to an end leaf 19. These leaves arepreferably formed of thin material, so that when folded upon each other, they will occupy but little space, and it will be observed, particularly with reference to Fig. 5, that when in closed position, the leaves take up but very little of the space within the cabinet. It will be observed also that the end leaf 19 when the device is in closed position, en-

gages with the outer edge of the floor or partition 10, so that sliding movement of the leaves within the cabinet will be prevented. When it is desired to provide a table, the door is swung to horizontal position, and the various leaves are swung upon their hinges in substantially the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4:.

The means for supporting the extended,

their inner ends within the said compartment. Pins 21 are illustrated in the present instance as pivotally securing the inner extremities of the arms 20 within the housing, and the said extremities are hinged adjacent the opposite ends of the cabinet as shown. Legs 22 are pivoted to the outer extremlties of thearms, and are capable of swinging downwardly to hold the outer ends of the arms spaced properly above the ground. The length of the legs is such that the arms 20 will be supported in horizontal position.

In practice, the cabinet, while removed from .the vehicle running board, may be packed with cooking and serving utensils, a small stove, table cloth, napkins, and other necessary articles for preparing and serving meals. The cabinet may also be packed with articles of food. The door of the cabinet is then closed and locked, or turn buttons 24: may be employed to hold the door in closed position, The cabinet may be easily carried, and hand holds 25 may be secured upon the ends of the cabinet to facilitate lifting and carrying the same. hen. the cabinet has been placed upon the running board with the door disposed outwardly, straps 9 may be used. tosecurely hold the cabinet in proper position. When it is desired to serve a meal the straps are detached and the arms 20 swung. outwardly. The legs 22 are let down so as. to support the extremities of the arms. The door may then be moved to open position, and the hinged leaves may be unfolded and laid uponthe arms 20. Such of the utensilsas are necessary in the preparation of the meal may then be removed, as well as the food stuffs. The seats of the vehicle may be removed from their proper places and positioned upon the ground around the table and will be found to be the proper height to accommodate persons eating from the table. Afterthe table and articles are to beno longer used, the latter may be stored within the cabinet, and the leaf sections folded and swung with the door to closed position. The legs 22 are then swung upwardly and the arms 20 swung inwardly. The application of the straps 9. will then hold; the cabinet to the running board and will also prevent the arms 20tfrom protruding from the side of the vehicle.

It often happens that it becomes necessary to prepare and serve a meal after darkness and in such instances the cabinet may be wholly detached from the running board and placed upon the fender or guard at the front of the vehicle and in the path of light projected from the lamps of the vehicle.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that I have provided an extremely simple and yet thoroughly efiicient means for attaining the various ends set forth, and one which will prove adequate for its purposes and highly practical in use. i

While the present disclosure is that of what I believe to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but that various changes may be made in the construction, arrangement, and proportion of parts, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

l/Vhat 1s clalmed 1s:.

j 1. In a device of the class described, a

cabinet having a compartment at its bottom, a supporting arm pivoted at one end within said compartment and being capable of being housed by said compartment, a door hinged to said cabinet and being. adapted to rest upon said arm when the latter is extended, and extensible leaves on said door.

2. In a device of the class described, a cabinet having a compartment at its bottom, a pairof supporting arms pivoted at their inner ends within said compartment and being capable of swinging within the latter, legs hinged to theouter ends of saidarms, a door hinged to said cabinet. adjacent the lower edge of the latter and being adapted to rest upon said arms, and leaves hinged to said doors 3. In combination with a motor vehicle; a cabinet adaptedto be secured to the running board thereof, the said cabinet being divided into compartments, a pair ofarms hinged at one endwithin oneof said compartments and being capable of'being swung outwardly therefrom, a door-hinged to said cabinet, and extensible leaves on said door adapted to'rest upon said arms.

In testimony whereof I'affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER MGBURNEY. Witnesses: v A j E. J. STEWART, Lrzzm I-I. MCBURNEY.

qgpies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Qen missioner of Patents,

' Washington, 12,0, 

